Bluffton candidates forum set for Nov. 2 at Town Hall

Bluffton’s four candidates for Town Council have agreed to participate in a Nov. 2 forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Hilton Head Island/Bluffton.

The forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Ulmer Auditorium at Town Hall, 20 Bridge St. The public is invited.

The forum is six days before the Nov. 8 non-partisan election.

Sue Feutz, the league’s voter service officer, said incumbents Fred Hamilton Jr. and Allyne Mitchell will join challengers Ted Huffman and Karen Lavery at the event.

“We’re expecting it to be an hour long,” Feutz said.

Barbara Swift, past league president, will moderate.

The format will include giving four or five questions from the league to each candidate. Each candidate will get one minute to respond and an opportunity for a 30-second rebuttal.

Also, “Voters will have an opportunity to write questions of their own,” Feutz said.

Audience members will be able to write suggested questions on index card. League designees will pick four or five to ask the candidates, using the same format.

Feutz said she also invited Mayor Lisa Sulka, who is unopposed, to be on the panel.

“She graciously declined” so the focus would be on the council candidates.

“The mayor has agreed to be there, but she is not going to be on the panel,” Feutz said. “She’ll be there for the people who want to ask her questions.”

A staggered-terms election system is used for the mayoral seat and the four council seats, all elected townwide. Terms are four years. The mayor chairs the council and sets the agenda.

About 6,880 of the town’s residents are registered voters and eligible to vote in the municipal election, said Scott Marshall, Beaufort County elections director. The deadline to register to vote was Oct. 10.